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One of the many blessings that dairy farming affords is the daily routine of tasks that need to be completed each day. It’s the time spent in the tractor, milking cows, tending to livestock and tackling projects that seem to make the days, months and seasons speed by.
During this time, we find ourselves secluded on our dairies, each of us so preoccupied with the farm and our family that the task of gathering new information and exploring new ideas falls to the bottom of our very long to-do list. However, many of these routine tasks allow for multitasking, and more specifically, podcasting.
Podcasts are a great way we learn new information and generate new ideas for our dairy. They also enable us to stay current on the latest unbiased news that may affect our business. As the industry moves at an increasingly rapid pace, it is becoming more critical for dairies to receive the right information at the right time.
“An organization’s ability to learn, to translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage,” said Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric.
Podcasts are a great way for knowledge to be shared quickly and easily with others around the globe. The devices we all carry around in our pockets have access to incredible amounts of information and knowledge that contribute to the success of our dairy business.
So what podcasts are we tuning in to in order to enhance our business? We subscribe to quick podcasts delivering daily 10-minute summaries of current markets and events impacting our industry, as well as weekly or biweekly podcasts talking about new advancements or ideas.
Try the podcast “Grain Markets & Other Stuff” for a quick synopsis of grain markets and information related to ag business. “Dairy Defined,” produced by the National Milk Producers Federation, is also a great quick podcast that explores current issues affecting the dairy industry, with an emphasis on domestic policy, economics, international trade and sustainability. “The Business of Agriculture” and “Discover Ag” are two fantastic podcasts which discuss current events affecting our industries and host well-experienced guests on a wide variety of topics.
Other podcasts provide training, leadership coaching, and support both for our dairy business and personal development. One of the core challenges of many dairy businesses is often employee management. Many dairymen and women began dairying because of their passion for farming but are now realizing they are spending an increasing amount of time managing people.
Podcasts are a great way to develop leadership and employee management skills. They provide direct information on how other successful dairies are excelling with their teams. Some podcasts will even allow for specific questions to be asked or situations to be addressed.
The “Jocko Podcast” is a fantastic podcast on all things leadership and discipline in regards to your business, relationships and personal life. In a recent article, we also touched on the topic of surrounding yourself with people or businesses you feel are highly successful or doing the things your dairy would like to achieve. Podcasts allow you to hear directly from these thought leaders and are one way to accomplish that goal. We thoroughly enjoy the “Uplevel Dairy Podcast.” This weekly podcast hosts leading dairy producers and thought leaders, and discusses what it takes to be successful, profitable and competitive on your dairy farm.
Don’t get us wrong, sometimes life can be more than mundane. It can be busy and stressful. Podcasts also provide an outlet for us to think (or not think at all) about things that are unrelated to our dairy. They’re a great avenue of entertainment and have been noted as the modern version of storytelling.
According to Edison Research, 53% of Americans (ages 12-54) have listened to a podcast in the last month and over 90 million Americans are weekly listeners, with true crime and comedy being the most popular genres. Our favorite podcasts we go to when we are looking for entertainment while working on our dairy are, “The Huberman Lab,” “The Joe Rogan Experience,” “The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast,” “The Fairly Interesting Podcast,” “Abiding Together” and “Our American Story.”
If you are a current podcaster, perhaps we were able to provide a new podcast for your quiver, or perhaps you are new to podcasting. We encourage you to give it a try. Use the podcast app on your iPhone or the app Spotify to stream for free. Try one of our favorites or find a topic you enjoy. It may take some time to discover whom you enjoy listening to, but trust us, you will begin to look forward to those daily routine tasks.
    Megan Schrupp and Ellen Stenger are sisters and co-owners of both NexGen Dairy and NexGen Market in Eden Valley, Minnesota. They can be reached at [email protected].

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